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Ethic vs Behavior - What's the difference?

ethic | behavior |

As nouns the difference between ethic and behavior

is that ethic is a set of principles of right and wrong behaviour guiding, or representative of, a specific culture, society, group, or individual while behavior is human conduct relative to social norms.

As an adjective ethic

is moral, relating to morals.

ethic

English

Alternative forms

* ethick (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Moral, relating to morals.
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • a set of principles of right and wrong behaviour guiding, or representative of, a specific culture, society, group, or individual.
  • I think the golden rule is a great ethic .
  • the morality of an action
  • Derived terms

    * ethic of reciprocity * evolutionary ethic * Protestant ethic * work ethic

    See also

    * ethic dative

    Anagrams

    *

    behavior

    English

    Alternative forms

    * behaviour (everywhere except US) * (l), (l), (l), (l)

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (uncountable) Human conduct relative to social norms.
  • (uncountable) The way a living creature behaves or acts generally.
  • (uncountable, informal) A state of probation about one's conduct.
  • He was on his best behavior when her family visited.
  • (countable) An instance of the way a living creature behaves.
  • (countable, uncountable, biology, psychology) Observable response produced by an organism.
  • (uncountable) The way a device or system operates.
  • Usage notes

    * Adjectives often applied to "behavior": human, animal, physical, chemical, mechanical, electrical, organizational, corporate, social, collective, parental, interpersonal, sexual, criminal, appropriate, inappropriate, correct, incorrect, right, wrong, good, bad, acceptable, unacceptable, poor, ethical, unethical, moral, immoral, responsible, irresponsible, normal, odd, deviant, abnormal, violent, abusive, aggressive, offensive, defensive, rude, stupid, undesirable, verbal, nonverbal, learned, professional, unprofessional, adaptive, compulsive, questionable, assertive, disgusting, self-destructive.